We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter is a gripping book packed with tension, secrets, and unexpected twists.

When a teenage girl goes missing in North Falls, Emmy Clifton finds herself at the heart of a community unraveling. What starts as a typical summer night spirals into a chilling search that forces Emmy to question everything she thought she knew about her neighbours and herself.

This was a brilliant read with a great plot that kept me hooked from the start. Twisty, suspenseful, and full of surprises, I was completely gripped. Karin Slaughter does a fantastic job building tension and revealing the darker layers of small-town life. It was a real page-turner!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Karin Slaughter for an ARC of this fantastic book.

Thank you to Net Galley and Karin Slaughter for an ARC of “We Are All Guilty Here”. I am very grateful for the opportunity to read this novel.

The master of crime fiction has done it again and introduces us to a brand new mystery in the North Falls series that takes place in a small town in where everybody knows everybody. When two teenage girls are abducted, the entire town is turned upside down. We follow along as Officer Emmy Clifton works to bring the girls home all while uncovering secrets of her small town that she never expected.

Every small town has its secrets and this one is no different as Emmy is determined to find out the truth. Slaughter carefully crafts this story of new characters with twists and turns you won’t see coming! I am looking forward to reading and learning more and Emmy and Jude as this series progresses.

If you want a well written, twisty crime thriller then Karin Slaughter is an instant recommend from me. I recently finished and enjoyed This Is Why We Lied which is part of the Will Trent series, and I was excited to start the first book in her brand-new series – We Are All Guilty Here.

When teenage girls Madison and Cheyenne vanish, Officer Emmy Clifton is tasked with finding them before it’s too late. The stakes are high as Madison is her best friend’s daughter – but what exactly were the girls mixed up in?

We Are All Guilty Here is certainly not a light or quick read - it’s very involved and twisted - there are a lot of strands and red herrings, but in Karin Slaughter’s capable hands nothing feels too confusing. It deals with difficult topics and it’s a sad story, but it’s nuanced, and nothing feels just included for shock value. There is also a large time jump in the narrative halfway through which completely changes the focus of the plot, but even this felt like it fitted well within the storyline.

I did feel that one of the characters introduced in this latter half – Jude, seemed to be introduced as if she was a character that perhaps readers should know more about. As I was reading, I wondered if the family had been a part of another one of Slaughter’s thrillers. However, more secrets were slowly revealed, and due to this, I don’t think that these are characters that had been introduced before.

The standalone plot is wrapped up well, but I think there is still plenty more to explore from Emmy, Jude and the Clifton family. This is the first book in the North Falls series, and I am excited for the next instalment.

Overall, We Are All Guilty Here is another strong read from Karin Slaughter – full of small-town drama, dark intrigue and a twisty plot. Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins UK – Harper Fiction for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A pedophile on the loose. The daughter of police officer Emmy’s best friend goes missing and Emmy tries to solve the mystery, with help from her ex-cop father. The characters are well-drawn, many flawed and vulnerable. Emmy has a loser husband. She lives in a small town where everyone knows your business. Hurtful things are said as she tried to solve the case. Many years later there’s a copycat murder. A good start to a new series by the aptly-named Karin Slaughter.

Goodness this was a long book! Peopled with interesting characters and full of family and community dynamics the twisty plot had me in the police offices trying to solve the cases with them, but, for me, it would have been so much better as 2 books.
Thank you to netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book.

This was a book of two parts which could have been two books. There's Emmy's big case where she tracks down who killed her close friend's daughter and then there's 12 years later when she has to address what may be her failings.
I enjoyed it but thought it was just a bit too long.

A thrilling, action pact new story by a new to me author that simply put, blew me away.
The story follows two different timelines as Detective Emmy Clifton searches for a child killer. Her best friends daughter was abducted 15 years ago along with her friend and it tore so many families apart when they could not be found before it was too late. A heartbreaking story that picks up with their killer being released when a podcaster seems to have proven that it was not the man they put away. Its a race against time to find the guilty person when another girl is taken. An interesting mix of characters, a town on the brink and a compelling chase for a killer that kept me on the edge of my seat and very invested in the outcome. I am really looking forward to more from this new world!

What an epic read this was!

Centred around missing teenaged girls the Clifton family have a multitude of problems to work through.
We follow Emmy and Gerald through their investigations into the abductions of Cheyenne and Madison. In a town they lived their entire life they think they know who the criminal players are until they dig a little deeper and start to uncover secret after secret.

This book was absolutely gripping, I was so invested in Emmy and Jude and desperately wanted to know what was going to happen next. The characters were written so well that I felt a connection with them. The twists along the way were seamlessly written in. The only downside for me was it felt a little long at times. I can’t wait for the next in the series to see where Emmy and Jude go next.
I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves a good police procedural, whodunnit.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for offering this ARC in exchange for my personal thoughts.

An engrossing plot spanning two crimes separated by over 12 years. Strong procedures and build-up.

North Falls, Clifton County, Georgia: Madison is waiting for her friend Cheyenne (Shy) who is late. Emmy, a police officer who is close friends with her stepmother Hannah, sees her. Emmy has an argument with her husband Jonah, and soon after it appears that Madison wants to say something to her. Both Madison and Cheyenne go missing shortly after. Emmy’s dad Gerald is also in the force and the Sheriff. They painstakingly investigate the case and interview potential suspects. It appears they have found the culprit but there are complications which come to light many years hence. Now, another girl Paisley goes missing and there are a few similarities to the case of the two girls many years back. Jude, who has just retired from the FBI, comes to North Falls to help as a consultant. Emmy has an uneasy equation with her; what led Jude to leave North Falls is revealed over the course of the story.

This is a well-written story with an interesting story line, good characters and strong procedures. The build-up is excellent, though the story is somewhat slow-paced. Emmy & Jude are strong well-developed characters. I felt Jude’s introduction was abrupt and some of the revelations on her equation with Emmy could have come earlier. It may be because the author wants to develop this into a series and more may come in subsequent books. Nevertheless, Emmy & Jude’s characters could have had better convergence.

A recommended read!

My rating: 4.25 / 5.

Wow! What a ride!

I don’t even know where to start with this book. It was fantastic. The main character of Emmy was so well written that I have come away from the book, feeling like I’ve lost a friend. I became so invested in her and her relationships.

The storyline was very well thought out and kept me gripped. I had to know what had happened and how events of the past and present fit together. I was not disappointed with the big reveal and actually gasped!

An absolute triumph from Karin again!

I feel the book started well, an intriguing scenario, characters built up so well that you felt you knew them, then as early as chapter 4 or 5, the narrative became almost too detailed. By that I mean, "he said, she said, he said, she said.......she touched the car, it was tan, she'd helped choose the colour" or the scene early in Ch 5 when the mother asked how many scoops of coffee. Just way too much detail, almost like listening a bunch of folks gossiping together about something. I found myself skipping ahead by a few pages at a time, without really losing the plot.

That said the first 25% of the book was enjoyable. Thereafter, I think the cleverness of the plot tailed off, the narrative became irritating. An underwhelming finish to the book.

So 3 stars from me, as I can tell the author has a clever mind and a style of writing that is very appealing to others, but not for me.

I am really enjoying new detective in this latest offering
It had a very interesting premise and didn’t fail to deliver on it. Twists and turns aplenty. Very well written with well rounded characters. It ended with me hoping there would be perhaps a next instalment. Very much looking forward to the that offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I didn’t enjoy this as much as I wanted to. I enjoyed the writing and the premise but this just didn’t work for me.

Emmy Clifton has lived here all her life. She thinks she knows her neighbours. She's wrong.
She thinks it’s just another hot summer night: a night like any other. She's wrong.
When her best friend's daughter asks for help, she thinks it’s just some teenage drama. She thinks it can wait. She’s never been more wrong in her life.
As the town ignites in the wake of the girl's disappearance, Emmy throws herself into the search. But then she realises: You never really know a town until you know its secrets.

Wow, what a fantastic book. Great characters who all had a part of play. Story that keeps you wanting more and several twists at the end. Great Read.

Gosh, but this author can write! This is a disturbing, emotional, character filled read about serial killers, paedophiles and the officers trying to bring them to justice.

It's based in the American South and the author uses her personal knowledge to bring the area and it's foibles to life. The characters are so well drawn and interesting and I was hooked from the first page to the last.

Emmy is part of the large Clifton family, who are all integrated within a small town whose secrets are taken from generation to generation.

Despite the difficult subject matter, this is a book with real heart and soul and I felt as if I knew the characters well and was absorbed by their dysfunctionality, family humour and pathos.

Anyone familiar with Karin Slaughter's earlier works will love this and for those new to her work, this stand alone novel is a great introduction to her writing style.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to preview this excellent thriller and I wish the author every success with this first book in what I know will be a cracking series.

'If you don't know what to do, start at the beginning'.

Emmy works hard to be as well-respected, as a cop, as her dad, the chief. However, when the small town of North Falls is rocked by a rare double abduction, her police procedural skills, as well as personal involvement, are put to the test. As her investigation delves deeper, it's not only case clues that come to light, but a whole spool of secrets and lies about many of the town residents unravels.

This was my first Slaughter book and I was kept on the hook from page one. Although dealing with the grim crimes of psychopaths doesn’t make for light reading, I was fully invested in the police procedural and criminal psychology. I’d definitely pick up another Slaughter book in the future and look forward to seeing where this new series goes next.

'Some people think serial killers make mistakes because they want to get caught, but the real reason is they're as desperate as any other addict...They chase the euphoria'.

I couldn’t understand how the book seemed to be finished when I was about a third of the way through, where could it go from here? My goodness I soon found out!

The mixture of twists and turns with some well thought out characters was great. My only complaint was that I just couldn’t put this book down.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I was hoping to after reading the reviews but I think I'm in the minority. I liked the story plot and found the first part of the book with the two girls missing tense and enjoyed it but after that I found it was slow and drawn out. It didn't leave me not wanting to put the book down and I didn't warm to the main character Emmy. Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC.

When two teenagers go missing under very suspicious circumstances, the local police of North Falls, Clifton, have their hands full getting to the bottom of just what the girls were involved in, and who wished them harm. Not an easy job as the secrets and lies are many, with a dark undercurrent amongst the youngsters of North Falls, and some adults are keen to keep the dirty dealings under wraps. Good thing the town has Emmy Clifton-Lang, deputy and daughter of the local, much revered sheriff, and all round good citizen. With her inherent intuition, ‘the tickle’, passed down from her father Sheriff Gerald Clifton, Emmy is determined to find out what has happened to the girls whilst juggling an unreliable husband and a young son.

Twelve years later another abduction brings the previous case to the fore. With the involvement of the FBI, a face from the very distant past finds themself in the midst of the Clifton family, with a very mixed reception.


Full disclosure, this is the first Karin Slaughter I have read, I always thought the books were not for me. However, a new series with good reviews was tempting, and I’m so glad I succumbed! Exceptionally well written, with a gripping, believable plot that was fast paced and exciting. Great characters, this is a good start to a new collection.

Needs a bit of editing to cut out the repetition within chapters, but that’s such an easy fix so no stars deducted!

Absolutely excellent ending, definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK.

Well, needless to say that Karin Slaughter has done it again, although I will, as she has. We Are All Guilty Here introduces us all to the close knit community of North Falls, and the formidable Clifton family, so entrenched in the community's history, the entire county is named after them. But even all of the small town connectivity and closed ranks nature of the place can't prevent tragedy from sneaking across the town limits, creating a dark legacy that will change everything for town Deputy, Emmy Clifton and her father, Sheriff Gerald Clifton.

Now, this is a hard book to say that I 'loved' for the simple fact that, as is often the way in a Karin Slaughter novel, the subject matter is quite dark and the story hard hitting. Two teenage girls disappear, suspected abducted, and the entire town is enlisted in the search. Now anything involving children is always going to be a tough story, even when the missing children are the fierceley independant teeangers that Cheyenne and Madison believe themselves to be. But the nature of the secrets that some of North Falls residents are keeping are truly very dark, so be prepared for a few uncomfortable moments from what is implied. The author keeps the worst of the worst off the page, but there is no getting away from the fact that there is an shadow cast over the town from that night onward.

It's always interesting starting a brand new series and I am sure that the concerns are there as to whether readers will bond with the new characters or not. Thankfully Emmy Clifton is a brilliant, if somewhat troubled character. Given what happens in the course of the book, that anxiety, if you like, is understandable, but it never detracts from her grit and determination, something she has inherited from a long line of spirited Clifton women it seems. She is joined in her mission to uncover the true heart of darkness in North Falls by former FBI Criminal Psychologist, Jude Archer, who has made her career from getting into the minds of serial killers and returning lost children to their families in whatever way she can. It's fair to say that they pair do not exactly hit it off, with Emmy more than a little suspicious about Jude's arrival in town, for reasons I'll admit I had guessed, but which were quickly confirmed. It doesn't mean that Jude is without her own share of secrets, but I'll let you uncover those in your own time.

As readers, we are privy to information that the Police and FBI teams do not have. right from the start, leaving a sense of tragic inevitability about what comes to pass. But karin Slaughter is a master at building suspense and tension and this book is absolutely teeming with it. She is also brilliant at scene setting and establishing character, and I found myself completely drawn into the story really quickly, suckered in by the author's misdirection and as shocked as the protagonists as to some of the big reveals later in the book. This is a novel that skilfully blends police investigation with psychology, getting into the mind of the 'bad guy' as Jude terms them, and revealing some startling statistics in a way that never feels forced or that pushes you out of the story. The way in which the author captures the emotion, the anger and the heartbreak is pitch perfect, not overpowering the story, but catching you unaware, much as it does for Emmy.

As ever you can really feel the tension build the closer you get towards the end of the novel, as does the sense of jeopardy as Emmy starts to finally understand what really happened when Cheyenne and Madison disappeared. And with another young girl's life on the line, the narrative is enveloped in a kind of urgency that had me absolutely powering through the later chapters, desperate to know if Jude, Emmy and Emmy's son and fellow Officer, Cole, could get to the truth in time. Powerful and heart-pounding stuff.

If you love the author's other police based series, Grant County and Will Trent, then I would say you are going to love this. This is a case led by two very strong female characters who, based on this early evidence, are just going to go from strength to strength. I have to wonder just where the author is going to lead them next but I am definitely ready to tag along for the ride. Definitely recommended.